न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो
लप्स्यामहे वित्तमद्राक्ष्म चेत्त्वा ।
जीविष्यामो यावदीशिष्यसि त्वं
वरस्तु मे वरणीयः स एव ॥ २७॥
na vittena tarpaṇīyo manuṣyo
lapsyāmahe vittamadrākṣma cettvā .
jīviṣyāmo yāvadīśiṣyasi tvaṃ
varastu me varaṇīyaḥ sa eva .. 27..
Wealth can never make a man happy. Moreover, since I have beheld you, I shall certainly obtain wealth; I shall also live as long as you rule. Therefore no boon will be accepted by me but the one that I have asked.
Commentary:
Nachiketas continues, “No man can be satisfied with wealth. Have you seen anybody in the world who is satisfied with wealth?” Lapsyāmahe vittam adrākṣma cet tvā: “When we behold a person like you, we have observed all the world. The very vision of a Master like you is wealth by itself. I am face-to-face with the great celestial Master. Is that not wealth? Do you want me to have further wealth of gold and silver? Is it equal to you when I am sitting before you? We will live in this world only as long as you permit us, because death will overtake everybody one day or the other. Even if I am granted the longest life, what is the longest life? It has to end one day, and Yama will come. Therefore, I want only that which I asked for, and not anything else.” Varastu me varaṇīyaḥ sa eva: “I insist on that one thing which I asked for, and I shall not listen to anything else that you tell me.”
Swami Vivekananda Says —
“No sir,” said the boy, ”man is not to be satisfied with wealth; if wealth were wanted, we should get it, if we have only seen you. We shall also live so long as you rule.[Source]
Man cannot be satisfied by wealth. Can we retain wealth when we behold Thee? We shall live only so long as Thou desires”. Only the boon which I have asked is chosen by me.”[Source]